Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-09
HOIY IT TURNED ONT

sash This flat usually rested on its wear
er's back by the way, causing her TO resem-
BILE from a rear point of view, small Ro-
man soldier retreating behind an unusually
large shield.
Dear, little, old fashioned Roxy If you
should meet her nowadays, | think you
would have 70 take her in your arms and
kiss her, big hat and ALL for the sake Of
your own grandmother and old times.
Down the road, beyond the door yard
fence, came a packman-a dusty, ragged
packman with load of tinware jingling
and flashing on his back in the light, max
ing him look like noisy, runaway sunbeam
who had neglected to wash his face.
He stopped at the gate and looked over
the pickets.
"Go ask your ma if she wants any dip
pers or pans, missy, 3" he commanded gruffiy,
setting his burden down with a grand final
dash which sent the baby chickens scurry-
ing under their mothers wings.
Don't you know my mothers home is
in Boston I" said Roxanna, reprovngly
climbing on her side of the fence for bet
ter inspection of the profered articles
This is my grandma I'm visiting, and she s
gone to town for all day Nobody is home
but Rachel and me, and Rachel's out in the
milk house. making butter. Those are not
pretty pans they haven't any hooker to
hang 'em up by. We've got nicer pans
than those right in the kitchen"
The packman smiled grimly at the crti-
cisIn. Then he unlatched the gate and en-
tered without further ceremony, seating
himself comfortably on the short lawn
grass
Roxy, on the fence, resented this liberty
and came down To earth again with the in
tention Of telling him SO.
His boots were split, his elbows were rag
ged, and he had an awful habit of smiling
with his mouth and scowling with his eye
brows at one and the same time, that made
him most unpleasantOcompanion but
after a closer inspection, his hostess felt it
might be wiser 10 hold her tongue and al
low the other side to make the first ad-
vances
"Im tired" announced the invader
'and I'm hungry. Haven't had bite for
a week If yotfwas good child you'd go
and get poor old man some bread and
meat.
I'm not allowed to go to the cupboard, -
said Roxy, tossing her head and putting
her foreiinger in her mouth.
1t was fat, pink forehnger, with dim
pie at the base; and tiny gold ring with
a ruby setting encircled it.
This ring was birthday gift from grand
pa and the forehnger had become very
| proud and demonstrative since its decora-
| tion, and was apt to take prominent po-
sition at all important occasions.
"Well declare most forget TO tell
you, cried the man with the tone of one
who suddenly remembers. Il met your
grandma on my way here, and she said to
tell her little grand daughter to give me
one of those pies which is setting by the
! open pantry window, and some bread and
cheese, and anything else good you can
find But you was on no account to bother
| Rachel-just get EN- yourself You didn't
think I'd come in and ask for food like that
unless had a parmit did you was just
trying to see if you was charitable.
This being said in such tone of injured
| innocence, his hearer dared not doubt the
statement Besides, how could he know
about the pies unless grandma had told
| him For Roxy was unaware of their ex-
istence herself until that moment. Half
way to the house, she paused, however.
"How did you know l was grandma 5
little girl T. she asked.
by the house, of course, answered the
| packman, who was now reclining easily on
his back She said, It's white house
with green blinds, and in front is an apple
| tree and black hen and lot of little
| chickens Hurry up with those things,
and I'll tell you something nicer than you
| ever heard before when you get back
| 1t was not an elegantly served banquet,
| but the diner was fortunately not fastid-
ious. He munched with great appetite un-
til he came to the pie. Then he looked up
for the first time and saw two blue eyes re-
| garding him longingly.
| Have a bite /" he asked cordially.
But Roxy shook her head
Grandma never let's me eat pie" she
sighed.
The packman broke off a generous por-
ton.
Here now, Just you take that and eat
it, I'll make it all right with your grand
ma, when | see her." he said reassuringly.
And the overtempted Roxanna obeyed
"Now, | reckon you want TO hear that
nice thing promised to tell you, said the
unlimited guest, at length, wiping off the
crumbs of pastry from his mouth with hi,
sleeve, when the last fragment had vanish
ed. "Did you ever hear of Jack the Giant
killer y
Roxy nodded.
"Well, here" producing a packet from
his pocket, lis some of those very beans
| that boy planted. You see, Jack was O
|
that's the way the seeds came in the fam
lily. I've got one planted at home now, and
it's grown up so can't see the top. Haven't
climbed it yet. I'm stout, you see and
III have to wait for it to grow good and
strong. Dye want to buy one I"
Now, if there was one fairyland herr
| Roxy admired, it was that reckless, dash
ing Jack. His story was always new tC
her, his adventures always followed witt
the same breathless interest even when re
lated twice in an hour, as sometimes oc
! Cured and now to meet relative, NJ
matter how distant, of that wonderful boy
seemed too good to be true. She coveted
one of those beans but, alas she had nC
means for the purchase. Folding her hand,
behind her, she answered gravely-
"Thank you, sir but | sent all my pen
nies TO the Indians last Sunday"
I'm give you six beans for that little
ring of yours, said Jacks relation, insinu
atingly. "They are worth more but you
look like a little girl l knew once, so III
throw off ON the price"
Her ring Oh, no she never could par
with that Roxy twisted it round her fin
ger in alarm.
II got it ON my birthday" she cried, by
way of demonstrating with such an unrea
sonable demand, "Grandpa gave it to me
and it's real gold"
"No it amt, " snorted the packman, dis
dainfully. Its brass. But, if you have
one of these beans, why you can walk uI
into Jacks country, and pick real golC
ones, like you do buttercups down here"
But the giants" -fultered his bewtcheC
little listener,
pooh Didn't Jack kill them all No
body left up there at all, tell you, since
Jack died. Streets paved with gold, river
of lemonade, sugar-plums and roasted pea
nuts growing ON the trees same as apple
do down here, All the birds and cats anC
dogs can talk, and every second house is
free ice-cream saloon. All you got to do i
just plant the bean and water it, and thel
climb up. Well, if you don't want h
trade, I'm glad of it. As was telling you
that other girl and you looked so mucl
alike that came near cheating myself u
please you Reckon | must be getting ol
my way"
He rose up and commenced TO strap hi
goods on his back
But Roxy caught his ragged sleeve witt
both hands.